Hagerty, smart classics for under 7000
- Thread starter Turboomni
- Start date
1969–72 Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth C-bodies
1970 Chrysler Newport
Mike Musto
I love these things. So much so that back in 2013 I went out and bought a 1970 Chrysler Newport with a 383 big-block, air conditioning, and power windows. It was in mint condition and I paid a total of around $7k for it. C-Bodies are some of the biggest land yachts that Ma’ Mopar ever made, and I’d be lying if I said I won’t be buying another one soon (I sold mine to buy an ’81 Turbo Trans Am—stupid move). They’re amazing open road cars with the ability to cruise at 80 mph all day long with the A/C on kill when big-block equipped. Find a 383 car and you’ll be looking at 330 hp and 425 lb-ft of torque. Find one with the big dog TNT 440 and you’ll be seeing 375 hp and a stump pulling 480 lb-ft of torque.
These are big, heavy cruisers that weigh north of 4400-pounds, but on the open road there’s nothing like them. Some folks hate the fuselage styling, but to me it’s just about perfect. These are an easy way to get big-block Mopar power with all the amenities for a fraction of what it would cost for a comparable B or E Mopar (think Charger, ’Cuda, Road Runner, Challenger). Maintenance is also easy as many mechanical parts are shared throughout the B- and E-body platforms from Chrysler, Plymouth, and Dodge. You can get a good quality driver for $5K–$7K. Just make sure to look out for rust if you decide on a vinyl top car.
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bluefury361
Old Man with a Hat
Technicality speaking, according to the CCCA there is not one "classic" on this list. These are collector cars....... 
73Coupe
Senior Member
Yup, I bought mine for a sum just shy of $7k. Boom.
The problem with the list, outside of the Cs, is that cars of the late '70s and newer have to be factory correct and pass SMOG tests to be licensed in California. Even if I thought a '78 Ford F150 was the hottest thing I've ever laid eyes on, I would not want to buy one in this State.
Also, have the writers of Hagerty priced VW Type 1s lately? People seem to think they are gold right now. Less than 7 grand? Only a POS.
Also, have the writers of Hagerty priced VW Type 1s lately? People seem to think they are gold right now. Less than 7 grand? Only a POS.
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we have the same issue here in DC. Fortunately it applies to 1968 and later vehicles, so my '67 JUST snuck through...........
California was set at '66 and newer, but then came the planned "rollover." It was supposed to be 30 years and newer, rolling over every year. But then some politician decided that would cause the State to loose too much money in those certificates every other year, so they set it at 1976 and newer. It really sucks for people who want to do something with a '79 car. But, at least it's not as Draconian as your State seems to be. Yuck!
polara71
Old Man with a Hat
They aren't cheap anymore
you aren't going to touch a decent f series ford around here for under 7k. datsun/nissan don't exist around here but i understand they have a small cult following that probably drives their price up too.
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